Violinist. He belongs to the exclusive club of musicians known as virtuosos. He began playing the violin at age seven at the insistence of his father, Antonio Paganini. Antonio Paganini was a mediocre mandolin player who forced his son to practice long hours. At the age of thirteen, Niccolo was sent to study with a famous violin teacher named Alessandro Rolla. Rolla, upon hearing young Niccolo play, refused to take Niccolo as a student because he claimed he could teach Niccolo nothing. Niccolo continued playing and performing in his native land, and soon received a reputation of being the best violinist in Italy. People began to speculate about Paganini’s great talent, and began to wonder about his gift. Paganini’s demonic reputation became so widespread that his talent was often attributed to the belief that he had help from the devil. It was common for him to arrive at a concert in a black coach drawn by black horses. Paganini himself would wear black. Paganini’s appearance completed the image of the satanic violinist. His dark hair and pale face contrasted, giving him an ethereal aura. The loss of his teeth in 1828 gave his face a sunk-in appearance, which added to his ghost-like image. The myth surrounding Paganini lingered even after his death on May 27, 1840. Since Paganini had refused the final sacrament, he could not be buried. His remains were kept in a basement for five years until his family petitioned to have them buried. The result of his refusal of the final sacrament once again raised the question of Paganini’s origin. (bio by: Jelena)